Kuchipudi In The Flutes Shadow: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR KUCHIPUDI IN THE FLUTES...

The music of the flute just became one with the evening's breezy atmosphere,
and pleasant classical melodies elevated the mood to a divine level. This evening
at Shilparamam, there were more performances for the leisurely winter audience.
Prema Ramamurthy, a veteran vocalist, is known for her solo concerts, as well
as for ably supporting classical dancers with her unique mood pieces. To her own
music, she brings the blend of a disciplined tradition of singing, and the ambient
elements.

Her young daughter, who has mesmerized many an audience with her flute, accompanied her on to the stage. Jaya Prada Ramamurthy, today, is one of the rare women who take to wind blown instruments and play on par with male counterparts who generally dominate the field. This evening, the mother-daughter duo just captivated the audience.

A Kuchipudi recital by the disciples of S Usharani made for the regular fare that's being dished out every evening. She and her group of six dancers explored the usual repertoire that included songs like Sabdham, Keertanam and Tillana. Mundane numbers like "Muddu Gare Yashoda", "Dasavataram" and more such school-time pieces were put on stage, almost like an exercise. However, here it is important to note that the every day Kuchipudi recitals by amateur dancers is an attempt to give opportunities to different, lesser known dance Gurus and dancers, and to encourage them by giving them the big stage.

Earlier in the evening, there were these energizing dances of 'Pagati Veshagallu' - a practice of donning different mythical characters and dramatizing their allegories. There was a 7-footer, who painted himself in blue, and appeared with multiple arms and flowing tresses, personifying the emancipated Kali, and a host of supporting drummers and semi-celestial dancers depicting a terrific folk tradition of costume, make-up and mythical images.